Tears and Smiles
by deathberry000
Summary: Orihime gathered all her courage to finally confess to Ichigo. But confessing one's love isn't always full of smiles at the end...


**Tears and Smiles**

**deathberry000**

**Disclaimer: **Bleach belongs to Kubo Tite-sensei. I just own this fiction.

"Have you ever wondered which hurts the most?" Orihime asked the tall, orange-haired guy beside her. She was very beautiful. She prepared well for that day. She even bought a new floral dress which complemented her soft features and wore a bit of make-up, just a bit of pink lipstick and dark mascara.

The man beside her looked at her in utter silence. He gave her a sad gaze, an apologetic expression that was saying he couldn't do anything about it and as much as he didn't want to hurt her, he didn't want to give the pretty girl false hope. It was something that must be done inevitably.

'_There was somebody else…'_

The words were enough to make Orihime laugh nervously and looked at him, faking a smile that was pretty obvious a bitter smile.

"What?" Ichigo finally asked when he figured out Orihime must be waiting for him to answer.

She looked far away and replied. "I don't know, too," she said. "Maybe it is between saying something and wishing you never had," Orihime continued, facing him now and studying his expression, "and saying nothing and wishing you had."

He felt guilty. Thirty minutes ago, everything was fine. He was with her because she said there was something important she must tell him. He hurriedly changed into his usual everyday attire which was blue denim jeans and a tight black shirt that has "15" on it. He never noticed she was beautifully dressed and even wore some cosmetics. Maybe, he wasn't just looking.

"But I'm really I glad I was able to say it," she cheerfully added. "Loving someone is a good thing."

He couldn't even look at her. He knew she was hurting and it was because of him. All along the only thing he wished to do was to protect his friends. But at that time, he was hurting her and it was more painful than any wound and scar she received before. He was aware that the pain he'll left her will be there for a longer time, lingering and carving through the deepest angle of her heart that _it wasn't her._

"I knew all along it was Kuchiki-san," she said, laughing.

"Rukia," Ichigo whispered silently, unaware of the name that just escaped his mouth and how it doubled the pain in Orihime's heart.

"The way you look at her and the way you say her name is enough yelling to the world how much you love her," Orihime said, smiling yet those brown eyes that were staring at Ichigo tells a different story, a heartbreaking story.

Orihime suddenly walked a bit closer to Ichigo. He acknowledged her presence and looked at her intently, still keeping the same expression he has when she finally told him what she feels for him. She, too, looked at Ichigo, but with a different expression from his. She was smiling and even though her eyes has the same broken expression like it has just a few moments ago, there was something more on it. She was contented. "Being able to say how I feel for Kurosaki-kun for all these years today is the most relieving thing I've ever done," she said.

People passing by and looking at them will surely mistake them for a happy couple, ready to linger in each other's arm which they believe they only belong to, standing close to each other whispering something to each other's ears and basically neglecting the world around them because what matters most was the person beside them.

But it wasn't that. Orihime looked again at Ichigo, meeting hazel eyes. "Everyone says that love hurts," she began. "But I don't think that's true. Loneliness hurts. Rejection hurts. People confused love with these things often."

Ichigo looked at Orihime, trying to figure out where she's getting at. She took a couple of steps away from him, maintaining the same smile she has before. "The truth is love is the only thing in this world that covers up all pain."

"Good-bye, Kurosaki-kun," the beautiful maiden finally said to the man before her as she slowly turned around and walked away to the love of her life, the person she swore to love even in five lifetimes.

Saying good-bye was never an easy thing to do, especially to people who you treasure, who you would do anything to protect and who you can even give up your whole life to. But sometimes, it has to be done, not because you wanted to. You need to do that because you have to.

Orihime's steps quickly grew larger as she went farther away from Ichigo. Warm tears were continuously flowing from her eyes and her whole body was shaking. She even doubted then if she'll ever be able to reach home without breaking down and falling on her knees.

"Inoue?" a husky voice stopped her on her tracks as she turned around to see someone she was so familiar with. Rushing towards her was a petite girl with dark hair and violet eyes. She was holding a bag that says she just went to buy needles and threads though Orihime has no idea what all those things were for. For all she knew, Uryuu was the one who should be walking around town with a bag of needles and threads.

"Inoue, what happened to you? Why are you crying?" Rukia worriedly asked her, reaching to hold both of her friend's shoulders, when she caught up with her.

Orihime taught first of just running away from Rukia. She couldn't face Rukia. She knew it wasn't her fault nor was anybody's that she was hurting that bad. But she, too, was just a normal girl who fell in love with a boy who has already somebody else, and apparently her friend as well. She did, but only took several steps. Then, she stopped.

Rukia was too surprised at how Orihime reacted to her gestures that she wasn't able to run after her. Orihime turned around and slowly walked towards Rukia. Her right hand was covering her mouth so people won't hear how much she was sobbing though her shoulders were shaking telling differently what was happening to her.

"What happened, Inoue?" the shorter girl asked again when Orihime was just a few steps away from her, crying badly.

When she was just a few steps away from Rukia, the girl wearing a floral dress then remembered a few loose threads on the shirt Ichigo was wearing when he meet with her an hour ago. He noticed how the threads Rukia bought match the color of Ichigo's shirt. She quickly closed the remaining distance between her and the petite girl as she hugged her friend tightly. "Kuchiki-san," Inoue started but couldn't seem to find the right words to say. "Loving someone is a good thing."

Finally, after hugging Rukia for quite a while, Orihime turned around and began walking away from Rukia. Rukia was about to run after her but she figured out maybe, her friend needed some time alone. She fought hard with her feet just trying to stand there, looking at Orihime as she walked farther and farther away from her.

Rukia just stood there, dumbfounded at how Orihime was a few second ago with her. When she was about to walk again, Ichigo suddenly showed up and was breathing heavily. "What are you doing here?" he asked, panting.

Rukia almost jumped a mile away from the boy who showed up. "Don't ever surprise me like that, you idiot!" she shouted at him, instead of answering his question. She then noticed the shirt he was wearing and that triggered her to get pissed even more. "Why are you wearing that shirt? I told you I'll fix it, right? Why do you have to wear it with those unacceptable loose threads?"

The two continued bickering as they started walking home.

_Not from afar was a beautiful lady wearing a floral dress, watching them. She couldn't help but smile, a smile that was telling, "I'm letting go now." Then, suddenly, unknowingly, a tear fell.  
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~ End ~

**Author's Note: **This is my first fan fiction. (Well, my first published. The first one I gathered enough courage to publish.) Minna, I will very much appreciate a review. And for taking some of your precious time to read this, thank you very much.


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